


Emma's Choice

by Sotheylived



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Dark Emma, F/M, Memory Loss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-06
Updated: 2015-11-06
Packaged: 2018-04-30 05:52:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5152727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sotheylived/pseuds/Sotheylived
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The price to remove the darkness from Emma is steep and she’s not sure she’s willing to pay.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Emma's Choice

"You shouldn't have done that..." Regina said, eyeing the stolen dream catcher in Killian's hand. 

"Why the bloody hell not," he was half-shouting at the (formerly) evil queen, cradling the dream catcher close to his chest as though someone might snatch it from his grasp. 

 “This is our best bet on finding out what we've forgotten - because I don't know about you three, your majesties," he practically spit the word, "but the last thing I remember was Emma fighting the darkness with  _everything_  she had. So forgive me if I don't understand how she went dark and if you think i'm just going to sit her and watch her fall further without  _doing_ something about it, you’ve got another thing coming." His face was flushed and his breathing labored as he looked from Regina to Charming and Snow, almost daring them to argue.

After a long tense moment Regina stepped closer to Hook. "Fine," she said flicking her wrist. 

There was a swirl of purple smoke then the dream catcher came to life, skipping from one image to another far too quickly to focus on anything. 

"Slow it down,"  Hook said, staring at the images. 

"You're the one holding it, you have to be the one to slow it down." Regina rolled her eyes, "focus on what you want to know and slow it down with your mind." 

The images slowed and a moment later they were watching past Killian peer through the bushes at Emma and Merlin in front of a flaming statue. 

Hook must have been struggling to hear them because the voices were garbled and distant. He shifted closer, deeper into the bushes and the voices became clear. 

"You told me you could help me," Emma was saying angrily. Hook from the past shifted uncomfortably, hand flexing by his side. 

'You should know better than anyone there's a price, there's always a price - I'm sorry I didn't know what it was until now." Merlin was stepping back from Emma, his voice overly calm - placating. 

"Not this I won't - I won't pay it." Emma shook her head vehemently, her curls swung wildly with the movement. 

"I can't make this decision for you, but you have to know Emma," Merlin swallowed visibly and shifted closer to her. "Unless you pay the price - "

"But that's just it - how is Killian  _dying_  mepaying the price -  _I_  should be the one to pay it." 

Killian was distantly aware of Mary Margaret’s gasp from beside him. His heart thudded violently, it took all his effort to keep focusing on the dream catcher, to keep its projection steady. 

"I wish there was another way," Merlin said, "I truly do. But I told you the price would be steep. As long as he lives, the darkness will live in you." 

Emma looked down and when she looked back up it was as if a switch had been flipped and the Emma that was fighting the darkness with _everything_  she had was gone. 

Past Hook seemed frozen in place as Emma turned and looked directly at him. "Well I guess my choice has been made for me," she said with a slow smile. She twisted her hand and the memory flickered and vanished. 

The dream catcher fell out of Killian's grasp and hit the ground with a dull thud. He stumbled back away from the thing in horror.

"It's my fault," he whispered staring at the item as though it were the darkness consuming his Swan. He looked up, eyes wide and horrified. "It was  _my_ fault," he said louder. 

Charming was the first to recover from the shock. "No it wasn't," he reached out to put a reassuring hand on the man's shoulder but Hook jumped back as if scalded. "Killian this wasn't your fault." 

Hook didn't even react to the prince having spoken. He turned to Regina and spoke with determination. "Kill me." 

Regina looked at him in disgust. "You idiot, that won't solve anything." 

He stepped closer to Regina and grabbed her hand. "Rip my heart out," he gritted out through clenched teeth, "you know you've wanted to since we met."

Regina shook her head with a sardonic laugh. 

Killian pulled her hand up to his chest and pushed as if he could force the limb through his skin without her magic. "Rip my heart out and crush it - it'll work, you heard Merlin. My life is the price and if Emma wasn't willing to pay, _I_  am." 

Regina recoiled from his grasp. As Mary Margaret and David stood frozen.  

Suddenly Killian looked down at his hook and smiled just a little madly. 

"Actually your majesty," he said, thrusting the hook towards his own chest, "I don't need your help after all." 

The moment he plunged his (still) enchanted hook into his chest Emma appeared in a puff of dark smoke. He ripped his heart out and it pulsed brightly as he took it in his palm.

"Stop," she commanded, reaching towards him, but she was too late. 

"Sorry love," he said as his fist closed around the red throbbing organ. 

And Emma could only watch in horror as Hook crushed  _both_  of their hearts. 


End file.
